Snapper Escovitch Recipes

ESCOVITCH SNAPPER

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees F.
• Score the fish on both sides with a knife. Sprinkle inside and out with the Seafood Spice Rub. Coat in batter if using (see Cook's Note).
• Fry the fish until the skin, or batter, is crispy, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Serve with Escovitch Dressing.
• In a food processor, pulse together the pimento seeds, adobo, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, black pepper and white pepper. Add the olive oil and process until the mixture has a deep red color, about 45 seconds.
• Combine the vinegar and 3 cups water in a saucepan. Add the sugar, pimento seeds and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, onions, peppers and thyme. Remove the pan from the heat and let the vegetables cook slightly in the hot liquid (they should still be firm).

ISLAND FRYDAYS SPICY ESCOVITCH RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Sprinkle the snapper all over with the fish seasoning. Combine the pimento seeds, peppers, carrots and onions in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and transfer to a bowl.
• Fill a deep fryer with oil and set on 350 degrees F or coat a frying pan with oil and heat over high heat. Deep-fry the fish until golden, 5 to 8 minutes, or pan-fry until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
• Dunk the fish in the sauce reserved in the bowl, then transfer the fish to a serving platter and decorate with the vegetables.

SNAPPER ESCOVITCH

Steps:

• Mix together 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Season the fish with the mixture.
• In a large skillet over medium, heat oil until really hot but not smoking, about 3 to 5 minutes, and add the fish flesh-side down. Cook until the flesh gets a little color, about 5 minutes. Flip, then continue cooking until the skin is crisp. Remove fish and set aside on a serving platter. Drain oil, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons in the skillet.
• Return the skillet to the stove. Add the bay leaf and fresh ginger, and sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add bell peppers, onion, carrots, Scotch bonnet chile, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, allspice and the remaining thyme leaves, and continue cooking, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add vinegar, and stir to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables soften but still retain bite, and spoon over fish. (Leave the allspice berries or pickling spice in the topping. Simply eat around them.)

SNAPPER ESCOVITCH-WICH PICKLED PEPPERS AND SCOTCH BONNET AIOLI

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, marjoram, parsley, paprika, ginger, pepper and salt in a shallow bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season 2 of the red snapper fillets all over with salt, then dredge them in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess flour and place in the skillet. Cook until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side until cooked through, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Wipe out the pan and repeat with the remaining 2 fillets and oil.
• Sandwich Build: Spread a thin layer of Scotch Bonnet Aioli on the bottom and top of your toasted roll. Add the filet of snapper and finish with some Pickled Peppers. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. This dish can be served warm or cold. Eat this beast of a sandwich like it may be your last.
• Place the peppers in a small skillet and char them on all sides over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the peppers continue to soften in the pan. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, wearing gloves, scrape out the seeds and then mince and scrape the peppers into a paste-like consistency.
• Mix together the minced peppers, mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• Combine the vinegar, sugar, honey, tarragon, thyme, peppercorns and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the bell peppers and onion. Let cool to room temperature.

RED SNAPPER ESCOVICHE

Steps:

• For the fish: Wash the fish with the lemon juice and salt. Pat the fish dry, then season the fish with the seasoning salt, garlic and onion granules, paprika and black pepper. Fry the fish in a large skillet with the vegetable oil, flipping once. Place the fish on paper towels. Pour out the oil from the skillet, saving a small amount.
• For the escoviche sauce: Add the onions, carrots, thyme, green and red peppers and Scotch bonnet. Saute the vegetables until tender. Add the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, paprika, seasoning salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion and black pepper. Slowly add 1/2 cup water to the vegetables to make a sauce. Return the fish to the skillet and simmer for a few minutes.

RED SNAPPER ESCOVITCH

Steps:

• Slice pepper, onion and carrot into thin strips.
• Peel and finely mince ginger and garlic.
• Remove stem from cilantro and finely chop.
• Sprinkle fillets with seafood seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan, at medium heat setting.
• place fish in pan and cook for about 4 minutes.
• Turn fillets over and place in center of pan.
• Add lime juice and remaining butter.
• Place garlic, ginger, carrot, onions, bell pepper and cilantro around fish.
• Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until fish is firm and white.
• Serve immediately with angel hair pasta or steamed rice.

ESCOVITCH FISH

Steps:

• Make the fish: Set the fish on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Rub the cut lime all over the fish. Let the fish drain on the paper towels, then pat thoroughly dry.
• In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and ground allspice, if using. Take two-thirds of this seasoning and rub it all over the fish. If using thicker fillets, cut small slits on both sides and rub the seasoning into the slits. In a shallow dish, mix the remaining seasoning with the flour for dusting the fish later.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1/2 inch of oil, just enough to fry one side of the fish at a time. (The fish should not be submerged in oil.) Add the garlic to the skillet, along with the chiles and whole allspice berries, if using.
• Lightly coat the fish on both sides with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. When the oil is hot, carefully lay the fish in the pan skin side down, making sure to leave space between the fillets and working in batches if needed. Let cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn the fish over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the skin is crispy. The fish should be cooked only about 80 percent of the way through, as the residual heat will continue to cook it after it's removed from the pan.
• Set the cooked fish skin side up in a large rimmed dish that can fit all the fish without any overlap. Keep the dish close to the stove.
• Make the topping: Pour all the oil and solids in the skillet into a bowl or measuring cup. Add 1 tablespoon of that oil to the skillet (discard the rest) and heat over medium-low. Add the onion, carrot, chayote, Scotch bonnets and allspice berries, if using. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Don't let the vegetables get too soft; they should still have a little bite to them.
• Raise the heat to high, and add the vinegar and chopped raisins, if using. Working quickly before the vinegar reduces completely, swirl the pan to tumble together the ingredients and then carefully pour the hot bubbling mixture evenly over the fish. It should not swamp the fish, but reach only about a quarter of the way up the sides. Immediately and tightly cover the dish with foil.
• Leave the dish on the counter out of direct sunlight for at least an hour or up to 12 hours, so the fish has time to absorb all the flavors. (It gets better the longer it sits.) Do not refrigerate before serving: The fish is meant to be eaten at room temperature. Serve with the bread for mopping up the sauce. Leftovers may be refrigerated overnight and gently reheated in a pan over low heat to loosen the sauce.